Restore That Childlike Wonder
Imagine a day. A normal Monday like today. Except this day the moments are slow, filled with wonder, curiosity and enjoyment. The colors you see are vivid because they are noticed and taken in completely. The leaves on the trees are calling out to you lighting a fire in your curious mind. Yes, you are passing them by as you speed down the road, but still your curiosity is tickled. The people you see are a beautiful tapestry of memories and thoughts and experiences. You dance with them in conversation as you collaborate, love, nurture, and learn. They may be the coworker who you had some difficulty with yesterday. But that doesn’t matter because today you are immersed in gratitude. Your day is filled with appointments and deadlines and a huge list of things to do. But today is different because today you are present. Each moment is a meditation in wonder. You find yourself smiling because of the color of someone’s car, because of a riddle of an email, because of the sound of your own earrings blowing in the wind, because of nothing at all. How often do you choose to have a day like this? When was the last time?
Delightful Mondays, a Gentle Gratitude Challenge
For the next four Mondays:
- Awake in gratitude. Before you reach for your phone, put your hand on your heart. Whisper, “Thank You.”
- As you brush your teeth set your intention for the day. This day I will be present, curious, seeking deeper noticing of everything and everyone I encounter. I will be immersed in gratitude.
- Then set forth through your day acting on your intention. Be present. Be curious. Notice deeply. Find gratitude everywhere.
- At the end of your day, as you brush your teeth, think back through all of the beauty you found.
- Share your experience. Log in and tell us what has come up for you. Shared gratitude is expansive gratitude. Also, we will help hold each other accountable to stick with the challenge.
This is so exciting! I am tingling with anticipation of beginning to live my life like this. And all of us doing it together. I can’t wait for the exhilarating joy of it all.
[su_quote cite=”Omar Khayyam”]Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.[/su_quote]
This Week’s Gratitude Question
[su_button url=”http://www.ourgratitudecollective.com/activity/” background=”#178fb3″]What moment today filled your full attention with love?[/su_button]
My Gratitude Experience Last Week
After all my talk about gratitude in action I got really shy and “busy” and “forgetful” when it came time to pass out my gratitude cards I created for World Gratitude Day. The five I personally gave out was really exciting and created great interactions. Then later, when we returned home my girlfriend gave the rest out at her work. People really loved them. For a few days I was giving myself a hard time for not following through. But then I realized that (duh) I was grateful for the entire process and everything happened just as it was supposed to. I am happy and grateful.
Forgotten Gratitude
Last week I was also grateful for singing a sweet baby to sleep … Dill pickle popcorn, a surprise gas station find buried under the normal snacks … The Fremont Troll and all the weirdos that made that happen and that make the world a kick-ass place.
A New eCard
Image by Antonia Montoya
The Gratitude I Shared The Last Two Weeks
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| Sun | 9/27/2015 | So grateful for this beautiful moon, the mirror image of what I saw at its rising and the whole journey of its eclipse. Absolutely gorgeous and awe-inspiring … I’m grateful for finishing the perplexing scheduling puzzle … I’m grateful for feeling sleepy now so I can go to bed early and get started with my workday before 8am. |
| Sat | 9/26/2015 | I’m grateful for hearing just the right thing at just the right time, and all because I was surprisingly early … I’m grateful to be a madrina to my always smiling godson, Esequiel … I’m grateful for celebrating with family and abundant food and new connections that were previously unexplored … A much-needed nap … A new awareness which helped me to not react. |
| Fri | 9/25/2015 | Hello hello … I devoted my entire day in service to family with a lunch break for volunteer service. It felt inconvenient since I have a ton of work that was left undone but also it was beautiful, lovely, fun and joyful. I’m grateful I did it. Some days are all work, some days are all play, some days are all giving and some days are all receiving but most days are all the above. I’m grateful for it all. I’m also grateful for shiny red shoes. |
| Thu | 9/24/2015 | So lovely to indulge in an unexpected midday nap. Yes, it put me behind schedule but this is just the prioritizing self care that I need right now. I am grateful for being able to process something that has been on my mind for a while the insight and clarity that came from the simplest and most obvious path forward was a relief. I’m so grateful to be guided into a beautiful healing image recreating beautiful memories. |
| Wed | 9/23/2015 | I’m grateful for New Mexican food smothered in red chile … My sweetie making me dinner while I finished up work … and to answer today’s question, I’m grateful I said yes to drawing sketches before work, thick brush marker lines over nice heavy sketch pad sheets. |
| Tue | 9/22/2015 | I’m grateful for free breakfast and that it included things I could eat … A familiar face to great us and give us a ride home at the end of our journey … Happy doggies … A moist chill in the air in the desert. |
| Mon | 9/21/2015 | I’m grateful for Mt. Ranier visible in the break in the clouds … The most delicate flavorful local seafood … A breathtaking view from West Seattle. What a lovely last day I had in all of the ways. Thankful for my World Gratitude Day heart-activities. |
| Sun | 9/20/2015 | I’m grateful for the best meal I’ve had in the longest time, such an amazing treat for my taste buds … I’m grateful for beautiful flowers, independent bookstores, vegan creamy treats … A unexpectedly sunny day … Conversations with friendly strangers … My rain coat for the downpour when I walked home tonight. |
| Sat | 9/19/2015 | So much awesomeness! I so appreciate being able to afford to take a vacation … Being exposed to so much talent, women musicians being weirdos … So much delicious at brunch and a really cool place as well … Kisses and love and perfectly captured photos. |
| Fri | 9/18/2015 | I’m grateful for being a Gata, a beautiful risk-taking creative community … Sharing my heart-wrenching song, being involved with the audience, whispering, dancing … The support of family and friends even when I’m the road, thank you Patricia, Evelyn and Gus … Shaking my ass in a huge deep way, especially that one song, Nicole rocked it … Hot tub floating, soaking, a room to ourselves full of music. |
| Thu | 9/17/2015 | I’m grateful for being a ridiculous tourist and having fun together and a super cool sterling silver handmade geometric bracelet and my favorite new pinball machine and free breakfast and free coffee tasting better than $5 coffee and Uber and great thrift store clothes. So much relief and gratitude that I finally finished my set for my show tomorrow. Sleep is imminent. |
| Wed | 9/16/2015 | I’m grateful for vacations, getting out of town and email autoresponders so I can disconnect at will … My instrument, all my gear and suitcase safe and sound … Finally feeling like my set is coming together … Feeling that my contributions are appreciated … Tacos! Thank you, Nicole : ) |
| Tue | 9/15/2015 | I’m grateful to have finally finished my work for today, phew what a fucking relief … I’m grateful for going easy on myself … I’m grateful for a wonderful error and over-the-top customer service that led to me being gifted essential oils by our very own @sarah-de-nice … I’m grateful for seeing my parents albeit briefly as we relay vacations, so delighted to be passed the relaxing baton. |
| Mon | 9/14/2015 | I’m grateful for pizza and a hug … I’m grateful for knowing when to walk away, even though I pushed it just a little further … I’m grateful for the intense worry and tension that drew attention to my needs that weren’t being met and for taking the time to recognize what I needed and for taking the time to give myself that gift. |
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[su_note note_color=”#e7e7e7″ text_color=”#686767″ radius=”0″] My gratitude journey started in May 2011 and continues to this day. Thank you for being a part of it! A daily gratitude practice is simple. Write down three things you are grateful for each day. Download your free GratitudeGuide. My clients focus on gratitude and learn from their successes to make the positive changes they want in their lives. You can too. Call me to set up our first meeting 505.333.9336. [/su_note]